Collaborative Consultation: Working
Together to Support Children with
Disabilities in Inclusive Programs
The Research Institute
Center on Early Learning
Western Oregon University
Gary Glasenapp
glaseng@wou.edu
Getting to Know You….
 Home based child care
provider
 Center based provider
 Head Start
 EI/ECSE
specialist/consultant
 Related service provider
 Administrator, Supervisor,
Director
 Teacher
 Assistant/Paraeducator
 Student
 Other
 Are working with EI/ECSE
consultant/related service
provider
 Have worked with EI/ECSE
consultant/related service
provider
Activity
Find someone you do not know.
Introduce yourself.
Share with them why you chose this session.
Agenda and Training Materials
Workshop Outcome and Objectives
Outcome:
Understand the collaborative
consultation process.
Objectives:

Understand the definition and major
components of collaborative
consultation.

Understand the roles of special
education consultants and early
childhood personnel in supporting
effective inclusion.

Understand strategies/tasks for providing
consultation within early learning and
development environments.
Definition of Collaborative
Consultation and Its Major
Components
Early Childhood Inclusion Means
that All Children….
 Have full access to the
general education
curriculum.
 Avoiding “our children”
“your children” state of
mind.
 Can participate
meaningfully in all learning
experiences.
 Their teachers have the
support they need in order
to help children be
successful.
DEC/NAEYC Position Statement on Early
Childhood Inclusion
ECSE Service Delivery Models
 Direct Service
 Consultant works
with child.
 Consultation

Less direct work with
child.

More work with ECE
staff.
Introduction to Consultation
 Inclusion changes way
ECSE services delivered.
 Shift from direct services
to consultation.
 ECSE specialists may not
be trained in consultant
model.
 ECE staff may not be
prepared to serve children
with disabilities.
Activity
Everyone Brings Something to the Table
What is the Collaborative Consultation
Approach?
 Parents, special education and early childhood
personnel working together.
 Consultant travels to community sites to support the
child and ECE staff.
 Consultant’s main role is to support the child by
working with ECE staff.
 Consultant uses variety of strategies to train, support
and problem solve with ECE.
 Consultant provides supports to ECE staff so they
can implement instructional strategies between visits.
Working Together
Consultant
Related
Service
ECE Staff
Better
Outcomes
for
Children
Outcomes of Consultation
 Improved comfort level of ECE personnel.
 Increased skills of knowledge of ECE staff.
 Children have more opportunities to practice
skills.
 Children learn more.
Roles and Responsibilities
Activity
 In a small group, respond to the following questions:

What are ECSE consultants and related service
providers currently doing in your classroom/program to
support children with disabilities and ECE staff?

What do you see ECSE consultants and related
service providers roles in your classroom/program?

What specifically would you like to see ECSE
consultants and related service providers doing in your
classroom/program?
Consultant Roles and Responsibilities
 Consultant’s role is to ensure:

Accommodations are made so children have access to
environment.

Participation is supported so children are engaged in
activities.

Reciprocal relationships with peers are facilitated.

Specialized instruction on IFSP goals is provided by all
staff.
Consultant Roles and Responsibilities
 Schedule IFSP meetings.
 Provide copies of IFSP to all team members.
 Consult/meet with ECE staff.
 Provide direct service to child.
 Ensure services are provided.
 Create instructional system.
 Help coordination with related service providers.
 Observe and provide feedback about classroom
environment, staff, child.
Consultant Roles and Responsibilities
(continued)
 Model techniques/strategies for ECE staff.
 Check with ECE staff about child progress, concerns,
questions.
 Provide data collection forms and collect data.
Inclusion Assistant’s Roles and
Responsibilities
 Become familiar with IFSPs.
 Attend and apply training.
 Assist in making environmental changes.
 Attend classroom meets as authorized.
 Help prioritize IFSP goals for instruction.
 Collect child data.
 Communicate with families as per policy.
 Participate in classroom management activities.
 Model strategies and techniques as directed.
 Provide direct instruction to child.
Activity
 In a small group, respond to the following
questions:

What are ECEs currently doing to support children with
disabilities?

What do you see the ECE’s role in support children
with disabilities?

What specifically would you like to see the ECE doing
to support children with disabilities?
General ECE Roles and Responsibilities

Provide developmentally appropriate environment.

Provide access to all aspect of care and education
program.

Maintain accommodations and provide specialized
support and instruction for children.

Collaboratively identify areas of professional
development needed for staff.
ECE Director Roles and Responsibilities
 Coordinate collaboration with ESD staff.

Meet with ESD specialist as needed.

Keep in regular contact with ESD staff.
 Attend placement meetings – informing family of ECE
program.

Provide brochure and enrollment forms.

Arrange for tour.
 Conduct family orientation.

Introduce teachers and other staff.

Review program policies.
ECE Director Roles and Responsibilities
(continued)
 Maintain child records.
 Inform head teacher(s) of child entering program.

Provide copy of enrollment forms.

Provide copy of IFSP.

Share start date and days attending.

Provide other useful information.
 Arrange for out-of-class meetings. Time for:



Staff and ECSE specialist meetings.
Staff to attend IFSP review meetings.
Staff to attend kindergarten transition meetings.
 Arrange for ECE staff training.
 Facilitate problem solving.
ECE Head Teacher Roles and
Responsibilities
 Become familiar with IFSP.
 Contact ECSE specialist with questions.
 Attend and apply specific trainings as needed.
 Make environmental changes.
 Attend teacher/specialist meetings.

Attend IFSP meetings.

Attend kindergarten transition meetings.
ECE Head Teacher Roles and
Responsibilities (continued)
 Meet with specialists and consultants on ongoing
basis.
 Share IFSP information and instructional strategies
with other staff.
 Prioritize IFSP goals for instruction.
 Provide child instruction.

Embedded instruction.

Direct instruction.
ECE Head Teacher Roles and
Responsibilities (continued)
 Collect child data.
 Communicate with families per center policy.
 Communicate with specialists/consultants.

Keep specialist/consultant in loop.

Share curriculum, lesson plans, upcoming events.

Share how activities address child needs.
ECE Teacher Roles and Responsibilities
 Become familiar with IFSP.
 Attend and apply specific training.
 Assist in making environmental changes.
 Attend IFSP meetings.
 Provide child instruction.
 Collect child data.
 Assist in communication with specialist/consultant.
 Assist in family communication per center policy.
Benefits of Using a Consultation
Model
Early Childhood Providers


Better prepared and feel more a part of achieving
successful outcomes for child with disabilities.
ECE staff have a “bigger tool box” of strategies when
working with all children.

ECE staff feel more supported and less isolated.

Better prepared to work as partners with families.

Children learn more.
Benefits of Using a Consultation
Model
ECSE Consultants

The consultant is able to see the whole child within the
context of his/her daily environment.

Scope of what the ECSE specialist can do is increased
because there are more people to do the tasks.

Opportunities are available to discuss child progress as
well as problem solve when needed with additional
perspective.

They can conserve their early childhood resources by
limiting the need for segregated, specialized programs.

Can meet needs of child and family within appropriate
community setting.

Children learn more.
Consultation Strategies/Tasks
Consultation Strategies/Tasks
 Conduct pre-planning activities – what the consultant
should do before the child attends the program.

Review IFSP.

Meet with child’s family.

Meet with ECE program staff.

Look at environment.

Identify any modifications needed.

Provide ECE program with contact information.
Consultation Strategies/Tasks
(continued)
 Schedule consultation visits to child in ECE program.

Frequency determined by IFSP team.

Consultant gets copy of child’s schedule.

Consultant gets copy of classroom schedule.
Consultation Strategies/Tasks
(continued)
 Conduct collaborative planning with ECE staff.

Provide release time for collaborative planning/meetings.

Schedule and conduct meetings.

When – how often meetings will occur.

Who – who will attend meetings.

What/why – what topics will be covered.
Consultation Strategies/Tasks
(continued)
 Provide coaching and instructional support.

Demonstrate skills/techniques.

Observe the ECE staff.

Provide feedback.
Consultation Strategies/Tasks
(continued)
 Provide emotional support.

Recognize and acknowledge situation.

Take time to listen.

Use effective communication techniques.

Paraphrasing

Questioning

Summarizing
Consultation Strategies/Tasks
(continued)
 Cooperatively engage in problem solving.

Identify the problem/issue/concern.

Generate possible solutions.

Choose solution.

Implement solution.

Choose another solution if needed.
Consultation Strategies/Tasks
(consultation)
 Provide active instruction/intervention.

Observe the child.

Conduct or participate in group that included child.

Work one-on–one with child.

Share information with ECE staff.
Other Consultation Strategies/Tasks
 Provide specific training.
 Provide resources.
Relationship-Based Consultation
Relationship-Based Consultation
 Based on building
positive, trusting and
respectful relationships.
 Each person has
expertise, skill or
knowledge to assist
another person.
 Need time to build
relationships.
Rapport-building
 Rapport: mutual liking and trust.
 Once established, more likely to be open, share
information, support ideas and input.
Rapport-Building Strategies
Find common
ground
Be
empathetic
Be a good
listener
Show interest
Be respectful
and honest
Be
approachable
Other?
Coaching
Components Necessary to Acquire New
Skills at Mastery Level
Theory
Coaching
Feedback
Demonstration
Practice
Demonstration and Observation
Guidelines in ECE Settings
 Have a clear purpose and focus.
 Schedule a good time to observe.
 Let director/provider know what you will be doing.
 Let them know the length of the observation.
 Frequency more important than length.
 Remember how it feels to be observed.
 Abide by program policies.
 Be respectful of staff, children, parents.
 Be professional.
Demonstration and Observation
Guidelines in ECE Settings (continued)
 Be objective.
 Be non-judgmental.
 Look for specifics.
 Sit as much as possible – on perimeter of room.
 Don’t interfere with activities - keep out of way.
 Limit interactions with children and other adults.
 Be aware children and staff will be watching you.
 Treat what you see as confidential.
 Debrief.
Observation Formats
 Verbatim scripting.
 Direct recording of actions.
 Description of environment.
 Focused observation.
 Frequency tallies or counts.
 Recording amount of time
spent.
Providing Feedback
Feedback and Communication
Dynamics
 Provides the learner a realistic estimate of their
understanding.
 Increases the learners’ confidence in their
accuracy of understanding.
 Increases the consultant’s confidence in how well
he is getting the message across.
 Decreases the amount of time to master a
skill.
Guidelines for Delivering Feedback
 Both positive and negative feedback.
 Start and finish with positive feedback.
 Provide more positives.
 Be specific – avoid generalizations.
 Be descriptive rather than evaluative.
 Inform, not advise.
 Don’t surprise.
 Give feedback as soon as possible.
 Use an observation instrument or form.
Additional Considerations for
Delivering Feedback
 Focus on areas that can be improved.
 Use descriptive and nonjudgmental terms.
 Focus on a limited number of critical issues.
 Review the observation instrument prior to
observation.
 Refer to instrument when providing feedback.
 Determine follow-up/next steps.
Questions
Thank You